getting a lodger

Jowo_2

123oleary wrote: »

thanks, that raises another question , is it usual to put locks on bedroom doors?

Only if you want to be phoned because the lodger has lost the key which invariably happens when you are away from the property and they have had their handbag nicked when drunk and nightclubbing at 2am.

And despite issuing them with a spare key at the outset to prevent this, telling them to leave it somewhere secure and accessible (such as at their work or with a friend but not in the room), that they must inform you when a key has been lost, you find they've either lost the spare on an earlier occasion and haven't bothered to tell you because they didn't want to pay for the replacement, or they actually left it locked in the room which they were told never to do.

And despite telling them at the outset that an emergency locksmith will cost £150 and will be their responsibility in the event of lost keys, they immensely resent having to pay any cost associated with their negligence.

Remember that locks have to be safe - thumb latches on the inside for quick exit of the occupant since if there's a fire, the smoke means they won't be able to find the key to let themseves out.

Jowo_2

Here are some handy links.

Make you sure you undertake full screening, they complete a lodgers application form and provide photo ID, you issue them with a lodgers agreement, take a deposit and months rent in advance and have an inventory for the room before you hand over the key. Companies like 'Tenantverify' will perform the checks for you - make the lodger pay the fee themselves (cuts down on timewasters, those who know they won't pass or haven't really made up their mind whether to move in and are still looking at other places but are using your property as a back-up until they view something better, will invariably pull out rather than commit money).

The best lodgers are sorted people - students and professionals - so never take pity on an applicant, such as someone going through a relationship breakdown or gives you a sob story.

Make sure basic rules are in place and are communicated and accepted before lodgings are offered, such as smoking, guests and so on. You don't have to give them access to the landline if you don't want to, many young folk are happy to use their mobiles because of the 'free minutes' packages.

If your wifi is encrypted and you've got up to date virus protection, this is as much security as you can hope for. Most lodgers will want internet connection - just give them the security key to connect to your network. Might be better to switch to an unlimited download package or advise your lodger about any constraints, plus asking them to keep their big downloads of files to when the other person isn't using it to prevent capacity issues.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/lodgers_rent-a-room.htm
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/lodgers_questions_&_answers.htm
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/pdf/Lodger%20Application.pdf
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/TaxOnPropertyAndRentalIncome/DG_4017804

anotherginger

i thought it would be helpful to reply from a lodgers viewpoint!

firstly, it's better for you to include all bills in the rent, but don't take the !!!! by overcharging, be realistic, it makes for a much better lodger/landlord experience. i would say all bills includes everything except outgoing landline calls.

consider how much stuff your lodger will have, it's likely that they will need more storage space in their room than you - they only have a room after all. as well as a bed (with new mattress) my landlord provides two wardrobes (hey, i'm a girl!), bedside tables, chest of drawers, a large desk and two chairs.

with things like heating, explain how your system works. when it comes to deciding on times for central heating, discuss it with your lodger! this may seem like common courtesy, but my previous landlord thought it was alright for me to freeze until they came home from work at 10pm.

in terms of kitchen space, if its just the two of you then it's reasonable to give your lodger at least a couple of cupboards and half the fridge. generally, your food is completely separate, as are meal times. its easier if you don't specify times that your lodger can use the kitchen - thats not very nice and its their home too.

for bathroom sharing - again if its two of you, it'll be first come first served unless you state what time you will be in there at. if you miss this time, you can't get annoyed if they are in there, you were late afterall.

tv sharing - its not so much of a big deal if you have wifi - iplayer is great! but don't expect to be able to change the channel if your lodger is watching something.

locks on doors - i would say no to the suggestion of a lock on the door. it makes the house feel less like a home and to be honest, its a bonus if they leave their door open, at least you can see what state the room is in!

it is likely that there will be a boyfriend/girlfriend or whatever, you'll have to accept this! and it is pretty likely that they will stay over now and again. if you have any objections to this then you should let your lodger know before they move in.

in terms of housework - i'm a lodger in someones house, i'm not sharing with friends. therefore it's my landlords job to take care of the property including the cleaning. don't get me wrong, i will clear up after myself (no crumbs after breakfast etc!), but i won't be hoovering the living room or cleaning the windows. i will of course clean my own room, and help out if i'm around when cleaning is going on. i don't buy cleaning products for the house.

recycling - if you want them to recycle then explain what your system is and what the collections are like. if you don't let your lodger know where the binbag goes outside, then don't expect them to ever take out the rubbish!

washing up can get to be a bit of a tedious subject when sharing. people are lazy. if possible you should invest in a dishwasher, you can get little half size ones which are great for two people.

i think i've made enough points for now! any questions feel free to ask!
thanks,
v

Jowo_2

The perspective from this poster is very informative and refreshing. Here are a few of my observations.

anotherginger wrote: »

firstly, it's better for you to include all bills in the rent, but don't take the !!!! by overcharging, be realistic, it makes for a much better lodger/landlord experience. i would say all bills includes everything except outgoing landline calls.

I think it might be better to factor in all fixed level bills in the rent (CT/TV licence,telecoms/broadband) and factor out those that are based on consumption and split them with the person (energy/water if on a meter) as this is the only way the lodger is likely to take any interest in the cost and constrain their usage. You can always fit an energy meter to help you both track your usage.

Lodgers who have never been householders have absolutely no idea how their consumption may send bills soaring and since they have little real stake in the property, there is no incentive to be modest with their usage.

It's definately easier in terms of admin and the prevention of disputes to factor in all bills but it can lead itself to squandering energy because they don't feel any impact from this.

anotherginger wrote: »

it is likely that there will be a boyfriend/girlfriend or whatever, you'll have to accept this! and it is pretty likely that they will stay over now and again. if you have any objections to this then you should let your lodger know before they move in.

Agreed that the policy for guests must be established and accepted upfront so if you have a no guest policy, this may cut down on the number of people interested in staying but prevent friction in the future.

Alternatively, if you do have a policy of 'occasional 1 or 2 day weekend only' guest policy, make sure its clear to the lodger that that's the case. For example, lodgers with friends and relatives who live far away or overseas may expect them to be able to stay with them regularly for a week at a time.

There are plenty of threads on landlord forums who have found that a person's partner has actually visits for the majority of time or have actually moved in, lock stock and barrel. When I was a landlord, I once had a prospective lodger challenge me on my occasional brief guest policy because 'My boyfriend and I have a serious relationship' which is lovely but I think that's best suited to a private tenancy in a self-contained property rather than the boyf staying 50% of the time.

anotherginger wrote: »

in terms of housework - i'm a lodger in someones house, i'm not sharing with friends. therefore it's my landlords job to take care of the property including the cleaning. don't get me wrong, i will clear up after myself (no crumbs after breakfast etc!), but i won't be hoovering the living room or cleaning the windows. i will of course clean my own room, and help out if i'm around when cleaning is going on. i don't buy cleaning products for the house.

If the OP has any qualms about being held responsible for cleaning the common areas, always being the one responsible for taking out the rubbish, cleaning the sinks, sweeping/mopping floors, scrubbing the toilet, kitchen and so forth, then they can employ a cleaner and factor this into the bill or take the hit themselves and know that they won't be scrubbing someone else's skiddies.

Again, like the energy bill condundrum, the standard of cleanliness can get affected by the lack of cleaning skills or motivation of the lodger (not directed at this respondant, just a general observation) who doesn't regard themselves as responsible for anything other than their washing up and their room.

BitterAndTwisted

If someone was sharing my home and sharing all of the rooms in it except my own bedroom then I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect them to do a 50% share of the housework. I'd draw the line at expecting them to clean the windows but back when I was a long-term lodger I did actually share doing this and was happy to. My landlady had a beautiful home, luxuriously furnished in an extremely desirable neighbourhood for which she charged me a rather modest amount of rent and I was grateful for it, so I did everything I in my power to be reasonable and amenable.

Expecting a full-on cleaning service without paying a 50% share of a cleaner's services isn't reasonable in my opinion.

PasturesNew

Get a lodger whose life/lifestyle is most like your own, that way you're less likely to be annoyed by them.

anotherginger

as i said, i clean up after myself, and if i'm around for my landlord having a bit of a spring clean then i'll give him a hand.

as a lodger, in my opinion, housework for the common parts of the property is the landlords responsibility. just like my landlord wouldn't expect me to go cut the grass or trim the hedge.

for the last two properties i have been a lodger in, cleaning had been done by the landlord(s). surely they would have been doing this anyway, with or without a lodger.

gratefulforhelp_2

I had a lodger, a lovely student nurse.

We used a contract from Staples, no locks, and bathroom just worked out. I said no overnight guests except by prior arrangement, I think if its your house and you are upfront about your expectations, you can specify whatever is reasonable.

Only problem was, she didnt settle at college, and if I went away, i had to take her with me, as she didnt like to be left alone!

poppysarah

Write down all the things that will/do annoy you about sharing with people...

Build them into the house rules else it'll be a very unhappy experience.

BitterAndTwisted

anotherginger wrote: »

For the last two properties I have been a lodger in, cleaning had been done by the landlord(s). surely they would have been doing this anyway, with or without a lodger.

True but if they were living alone they would only have been cleaning up after themselves, not you as well. When you're sharing a home you share properly in my opinion not just the bits you you feel like sharing but everyone's different and everyone lives in a different way.